Paradoxes, Tensions and Challenges in Decentering the Human

In recent years, More-Than-Human-Design (MTHD) has gained traction in HCI, as exemplified by a growing body of workshops and publications. As this nascent field progresses, unresolved conceptual and practical methodological challenges continue to surface. It is time for MTHD researchers to critically revisit underlying assumptions, concepts and processes that shape their work. We invite the DIS community to engage with two central themes: first, a critical exploration of anthropocentrism - a core yet complex issue in MTHD; and second, the presentation of practical work that either highlights tensions within MTHD (e.g. how to decenter the human), or proposes ways to navigate these tensions constructively. Through mapping and discussing the challenges, we aim to identify patterns and shared concerns. The workshop will culminate in an open-ended Archive of Tensions, accessible via the workshop website, serving as a collective resource for ongoing reflection and inquiry. Furthermore, the Archive will be presented in an online event and the results will be published as an article.